"Book early" was the album which finally brought commercial success for City Boy, in the form of a hit single. "5705" will be familiar to anyone who was listening to pop music in the late 1970's, its early use of a digital dial tone sound instantly distinguishing it in that crowded market. The song was in fact originally called "Turn on to Jesus", but while the record label loved the melody, they felt that the theme would cause problem when it came to radio play. The band rewrote the lyrics and the rest is history. While the general perception of the band is (rightly) that of one hit wonders, the follow up single "What a night", also appears on some versions of this album.

With new drummer Roy Ward now installed, the line up is restored to a six piece. The songwriters once again are primarily Steve Broughton and Lol Mason but the rest of the band contribute here and there.

Book Early starts with "5.7.0.5," a Queen/ELO hybrid, and the rest of the album follows suit pretty closely -- but this time City Boy adds more pop elements to their sound and drops the soft rock feel that was prevalent on much of Young Men Gone West. The result is quite enjoyable, especially on tracks like "Raise Your Glass (To Foolish Me)," "Cigarettes" and "Dangerous Ground." Book Early is City Boy's most energetic, if not their best.

City Boy - Book Early - Mercury RecordsStudio Album, released in 1978MP3 @ 320 kbps - high reZ scans included / lyrix

Saturday, October 3, 2009

ha , ok just in time for halloween here is Bonzo Dog Band , & monster mash !if u never heard these guys , your in for a real treat ! what a riot !i have alot of their stuff , will post more - request what`s needed ?!enjoy kids:

While this is not The Bonzo's greatest work (that title belongs to URBAN SPACEMAN, also known as THE DOUGHNUT IN GRANNY'S GREENHOUSE), it is, along with their GORILLA, among some of most innovative and hilarious musical satire ever produced. After all these years, this is not only still funny, it's actually quite enjoyable as music. The musicianship is deceptively complex and accomplished, while the lyrics rival anything to come out of British comedy, Monty Python included (various members of The Python and the Bonzo's worked on each other's projects). Although most of the songs are originals, there is one cover, 'Monster Mash,' which will be more familiar to some listeners (of a certain age) than the Bobby Pickett version. The eclectic range of music here, inspired by several decades of changing styles, makes this recording endlessly entertaining: We are transported to the Late 20's/early 30's ('Tubas In The Moonlight,' 'By A Waterfall,' 'Doctor Jazz') the late 50's/early 60's ('Monster Mash,' 'Canyons Of Your Mind,' the latter a cheeky Elvis send-up), and on towards the age of heavy metal (the guitar work on 'Mr. Apollo'). The Spirits of Spike Jones and His City Slickers are invoked by zany ditties such as 'Hunting Tigers Out In India' and 'Ali-Baba's Camel,' complete with sound effects and vocal asides. 'Shirt' pokes fun at man-on-the-street interviews, and 'Ready-Mades' would be at home on any number of '60's psychedelic rock albums (a strange combination of Bee Gees, Beatles and early Pink Floyd). Songs like 'Tubas' and 'Waterfall' seem to anticipate the rise of the more serious, reverential careers of Ry Cooder (his JAZZ album), John Fahey (OLD-FASHIONED LOVE and AFTER THE BALL), and Leon Redbone (his entire catalog). For fans of important memorabilia from the '60's and early '70's, British comedy up to the present, and musical parody of any kind, this is indispensible. It is becoming hard-to-find, so get it soon! --- [ dustyart - amazon.com ]

Friday, October 2, 2009

this one is not too rare , but this is kinda a remaster , so might be an upgrade. sounds great here. -- came out in `77 when i was 12. i had the cassette ! it was a summer fave , brings back some magical memories now a days , hope it does for you too if u havent heard it in a bit !

"Those who dismiss this undeniably popular album due to puerile lyrics (generally leveled at this album's sequel), over-the-top production, and Meat Loaf singing so passionately about such adolescent themes as a badly written farce totally miss the point. This is an album that pokes fun at all the rock and roll pretensions that had crept into rock music over the years (Townshend can you hear me?), and it succeeds wonderfully.There's no doubt about it. BAT OUT OF HELL takes all these adolescent themes, mostly raging hormones, and builds, with operatic flair and lots of kitsch, this preposterously silly album which never-the-less struck a chord with a great many people. BAT OUT OF HELL is a concept album, but it doesn't carry all the serious connotations that such a label implies. This is Steinman taking all these broad-way musical conventions and hiring Meat Loaf, who could belt out vocals like no one else, and giving these teen-age angst-ridden years such a ridiculous setting that you can't help but laughing at the idiocy of what people thought were so important in their youth.

Steinman's and Meat Loaf's chief critics generally site the bombast and blowing up teen-age angst with such an operatic flair. They miss the point. I will always stand behind Steinman's position as an artist because he uses all these so called "weaknesses" for effect. It's a very silly album, but then, it's supposed to be. Even the cover-art is ridiculous. It's all about that bad boy/girl image that's so laughably fake that no one takes them as any real threat. Most call it "Just a phase they're going through."

Steinman shows how the youth, when they begin taking themselves seriously as adults, are so concerned with issues that as people grow up realise, while important, aren't so damned dramatic as they made it out to be. [The album cover]. I'm sure most people remember wanting to do something out of the norm just so they can appear to be so tough and independent, and looking back are glad they outgrew it. This could be music or fashion or whatever. The whole album describes that state of young people wanting "bad boy" image which is really, really hooky.

What makes this such a good album is even though it's all about that awkward transition phase between childhood and adulthood, Steinman deals with real issues, and surprisingly well at that. It's the very clear craftsmanship and the obvious "weaknesses" that are actually the strengths that makes this such a strong album. Although I've never though BAT had a straight-forward narrative, the title track (my personal favorite of both albums) introduces the type of characters we'll be seeing. The very last track tells of an individual who did make it past this phase and into maturity.

One of the more interesting things about BAT OUT OF HELL is its position on sex. Steinman's lyrics have a very perceptive view of what sex is, and shockingly it's much more along the lines of what Christianity teaches. Although you cannot conclusively say BAT OUT OF HELL promotes sex only in marriage, it gives several portraits, with very distinct imagery, that suggests that the youth get so tied up in sex that they don't care at all about each other. The sexual urges has destroyed or drastically hurt most of the relationships depicted on BAT OUT OF HELL with the single exception of the last track.

To me, "For Crying Out Loud" has always been the key track to BAT OUT OF HELL. The six songs that go before depict these youth, so bound up in folly they don't know or show real love, continually broken and hurt in their relationships. In "For Crying Out Loud," however, an individual, ravaged with age, has finally found some one to love at last. They're no longer concerned with sex just for pleasure but they've found actually found a love.

There's such a jump in the age of Steinman's characters between the first six tracks and "For Crying Out Loud" that it BAT OUT OF HELL actually serves as a warning that if you don't grow up then you'll miss so much of what life has to offer. The first six tracks describe all the misadventures and stupid, malicious acts that these kids do, and then "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" transitions the characters from that song into old age, still without love. "For Crying Out Loud" then begins and is the only song dealing with an old person, and do to the transition provided in the previous song, it's reasonable to believe that Steinman wants to show what a lifetime of immaturity and bad boy posturing will get you. Steinman moves to the very heart and moral core of the record. This is where they discover that they don't have all the time in the world like they thought (in "Heaven Can Wait"). In the end, they also discover healthy sexuality as well, and are mature enough to raise their own children.

It's all these different facets that make BAT OUT OF HELL such a fascinating listen and an amazing artistic triumph. Most of this album's critics are so far off base they look positively asinine.

Those who are looking for a surprisingly deep and moral record that has a great sense of dramatic flair, this is for you." -- [ MAC - amazon.com ]

"Bat out of Hell" – 9:48"You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" – 5:04"Heaven Can Wait" – 4:38"All Revved Up with No Place to Go" – 4:19"Two out of Three Ain't Bad" – 5:23"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" – 8:28Performed by Meat Loaf & Ellen Foley"For Crying Out Loud" – 8:45

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

ok , here is the last LP by the brooklyn bridge , but they dropped the brooklyn by now , ha. - tons of harmonies & horns here my friends. these hippies are wailing like theres no tomorrow , ha.these guys definately had an influence on chicago ! in fact , the last track "man in a band" is an all out jam-fest , rivaling anything blood sweat & tears , chicago ever did. !Cream’s “I Feel Free” also gets the Bridge’s harmony and horns treatment on this album as well.i`m not a big fan of the horns myself , but these guys are good , there is no doubt.a bit of fuzz here & there , bottomline ; hippies on a farm , high as hell jammin , lol. --sorry , this lp not as clean as ideal ~ but still fine when they kik it in....

i never heard of this band until 1991. i was living in st. croix & met this kid who gave me the cassette. he told me if i was a rush fan , i had to check this band out , i would be blown away. and i was. if you don`t live up north , you like me , have probably never heard of this band. this is IMO , their peak of powers. it is simply greatness. any fan of art rock , prog rock & the like will enjoy this one - my fave tracks are safety , long nights & nuclear ~ here is a sample lyric."somethings wrong from the moon my friend , somethings wrong from the moon. as i gaze down upon you my friend , somethings wrong from the moon - poor little man , you`ve been run down" -- enjoy ~

It's generally a bad sign when the lead singer quits a band in the middle of an album, especially when that singer wrote every song on the band's previous two albums. It is therefore somewhat surprising that Safety in Numbers was not merely a good album, but one which rivals Crack the Sky's award-wining first release. Though departing leader John Palumbo contributed a few vocals before quitting the band, new singer Gary Lee Chappell and other bandmembers filled in nicely on a mix of Palumbo's songs and new tunes written by guitarist Rick Witkowski and various partners. The two songs written by Palumbo aren't even the best -- that distinction would have to go to "A Night on the Town (With Snow White)," a delightful piece that mixes styles from the 1920s and progressive rock in a way that is probably unique. There are other lyrical gems here too, including the grim title cut and the sarcastic concert favorite "Lighten Up McGraw." Palumbo's "Nuclear Apathy" is five minutes of good song stretched to eight minutes, though the splendid guitar work and inspired arrangement does much to redeem the error. Taken as a whole, Safety in Numbers showed that there was more to Crack the Sky than John Palumbo, and that the band was ready to carry on in high style. -- AMG

Monday, September 28, 2009

ok , so i am back; figured out how to log back in , lol.well , here is an oldie. i know some of you remember the hit "how do you do?". great song from this dutch band. dont have much else on them , but here it is !isolation written by john lennon / rosianna by cashman , pistilli & west ~

1- A.B.C. 2- I Almost Lost My Mind 3- I Heard It Through the Grapevine 4- Hey, You Love 5- Remember (Walking in the Sand) 6- Rosianna 7- Why Did You, Why? 8- How Do You Do? 9- Land of Milk and Honey 10- Tell Me World 11- It Happened Long Ago 12- Isolation

Monday, May 25, 2009

Ted Nugent named his band after an R & B outfit that had recently disbanded, saying "I thought it was a cool name". He was unaware that 'The Amboy Dukes' was also the title of a book about a 1950's street gang from Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Ted has also claimed to be unaware that the lyrics to 'Journey...' had stong allusions to psychedelic drug use, as does the collection of vintage pipes on the album's cover. I regard Nugent as being especially astute, and as a young man probably realized that using acid-tinged imagery would further the chances of success for a psychedelic rock band. For most of his associates however, being in a psychedelic rock band must have implied psychedelic drug use, and this resulted in significant conflicts between the anti-drug Nugent and the remaining Dukes.

If you're still reading, you're probably wondering about the album itself. There aren't a whole lot of highlights, save the title track, which features one of the finest electric guitar performances of the psychedelic era, matched by some of the finest psychedelic lyrics ever penned, matched by one of the heaviest bridge segments ever committed to vinyl, tape, or digital stock. Only three other songs really deserve mention, track number 5 (which closed out side one of the original vinyl release), 'Dr. Slingshot', which features overlapping vocal lines from lead singer John Drake and rhythm guitarist Steve Farmer (who, together with Nugent, penned all the songs on the disc), and a great lead guitar riff from Nugent. Unfortunately, Nugent's talent on the six-string are only occasionally put on display, such as on track 12, 'I'll Prove I'm Right', where his fine picking underlies another strong vocal performance from Drake. The band relies much more on the psychedelic imagery of its lyrics rather than Nugent's axe, a highly questionable choice given the quality of the lyrics (on 'Why Is a Carrot More Orange Than an Orange', for instance, we are offered other deep questions such as, "Why are you greener than green?"; go figure). If it's of interest, the tracks on the second side of the disc segue into one another, and while the liner notes claim they collectively tell "a story", the plot is hard to discern. The final track, 'Conclusion', does reintroduce the 'Journey...' melody, and for a few moments brings back Nugent's sterling guitar lines, but it's a case of too little too late. There is a bonus track offered on the Repertoire versions of the disc, the 7" follow up to 'Journey...', a shameless ripoff of its predecessor titled 'You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire'. Despite its obvious origins, it stands as perhaps the fourth best track offered here.

The liner notes are rather sparse, although the reproduction of the original 1968 back album cover is interesting as it gives nods to "Felix and Eddie of the Young Rascals" and "The Mothers of Invention" for their influence over the Dukes. No lyrics and no running times for the songs are offered, though the track listings appear three times. The disc is in short supply, so you won't be finding it in bargain bins. It commands a rather steep price, especially considering that it really contains only one standout song. Too bad it's one of the finest from 1968.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

ok kids - this is a pretty kewl record ! very rare & obscure. nice poppy melodic style , another one rescued from beneath the cracks !enjoy !

aka`

Blond grew out of the Swedish band Tages, arguably the finest Swedish '60s rock group. After lead singer Tommy Blom left in the late '60s, they changed their name to Blond, the chief creative force being bassist/songwriter Goran Lagerberg (who had also sang some lead in Tages). Blond's 1969 album The Lilac Years was recorded in London and released in both Europe and the United States (where it was simply called Blond). Similar to the later recordings of Tages, and perhaps a bit more Anglo-pop-oriented than Tages, the album was a respectable though unexceptional effort with echoes of the Hollies, the Beatles, the Easybeats, and the like. At times it got into moody, almost early art rock-like textures, particularly on the lengthy title track, though the general mood was upbeat cheery pop/rock. They could have easily passed for a British (or even American) group, but never made significant inroads into the English-speaking market. Two new members replaced a couple of the ex-Tages, lead guitarist Anders Topel and rhythm guitarist Danne Larsson, after the album was recorded (but before it was released). Blond disbanded in 1970.

Blond's sole album is grinning, Anglo-fied pop/rock -- almost with a transatlantic feel at times, so accomplished and slick is the execution -- that might appeal to fans of early Badfinger, the late-'60s Easybeats and Hollies, and more esoteric cult faves like the Idle Race. The accent is on the "might appeal," because Blond really didn't have as strong an identity as any of those groups. Also, their material wasn't as good as the best songs recorded by the Swedish group they grew out of, Tages. It's pleasant, artfully produced, late-'60s British-styled pop/rock with a touch of the Baroque (plenty of orchestration) and psychedelic, but not much sticks in the memory banks. Certainly the best track is "The Lilac Years," a rather out-of-character, moody epic with classical-influenced organ. When the good-timey vibe is leavened by some melancholy here and there in other spots, as on "I'll Bring You Flowers" (which has more of that early Procol Harum/late Zombies-type organ), the results are again more fetching and affecting.

1. Deep Inside My Heart2. Sailing Across the Ocean3. Six White Horses4. Time Is Mine5. The Girl I Once Had6. The Lilac Years(De Salde Sina Hemman)7. I Wake Up and Call8. I Pick Up the Bus9. There's a Man Standing in the Corner10. I Will Bring You Flowers in the Morning11. Caroline

During a 5 year period beginning in 1966, Dennis Yost, the voice of THE CLASSICS IV, had 4 gold singles to his credit. His gold records include "Spooky," "Stormy," "Traces" and "Everyday With You Girl."

Without a doubt Dennis possessed one of the most beautiful voices ever to be on record. Even the hard rockers liked his voice. It was undeniably part of the soundtrack of the 60's. My favorite is "Stormy"

Here's a bit of bio on Dennis:

He began his musical career in Jacksonville, Florida playing drums with high school friends, calling themselves "The Echoes." In the early 1960s, he joined a group that would become known as "The Classics." Members included the founder, Wally Eaton, plus James Cobb and Joe Wilson. The group achieved certain notoriety with a small hit titled "Pollyanna" written by Joe South, not to mention Dennis was one of few drummers standing up and drumming while also singing lead. When the band learned of another group from New York City that had a small amount of success with a song titled "Til Then," using the same name, they quickly changed their name to "The Four Classics," and eventually "The Classics IV."

Sadly, Dennis died at age 65 in December last year. His music will never be forgotten.

CINCINNATI – Dennis Yost, lead singer of the 1960s group the Classics IV, has died in an Ohio hospital. He was 65.Yost died Sunday (December 7, 2008) at Fort Hamilton Hospital in Hamilton, about 30 miles northwest of Cincinnati. He died of respiratory failure, hospital spokeswoman Marielou Vierling said.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

this is a bit different than my usual postings , but still pretty obscure & is transferred from wax still ! shawn mullins , pete droge & matthew sweet together for the CSNY in modern times.in fact any fan of Crosby, Stills & Nash ,The Byrds , America , Bread , George Harrison , or Tom Petty will dig this one !killer harmonies & songs. i really love this lp , its a real grower. dont listen to the naysayers , these songs are epic & timeless.

aka`

The history of rock is scattered with the wreckage of supergroups who turned out to be less than super (and one or two who turned out OK). The Thorns were built in the tradition of the supergroup, though the members are actually less than superstars. Two of the three Thorns, Pete Droge and Shawn Mullins, are best known as one-hit wonders (1994's "If You Don't Love Me, I'll Kill Myself" and 1998's "Lullaby," respectively), while the third, Matthew Sweet, has had a career with one great album (1991's Girlfriend) and a few uneven ones. From their soaring vocal harmonies, chiming guitars, classic rock songs, and plaintive lead vocals, the obvious comparison to make is that the Thorns are a junior-league Crosby, Stills & Nash or a more earnest Traveling Wilburys (with whom they share drummer Jim Keltner). Indeed, comparisons to classic rock acts come easily: America, the Beach Boys, Bread, Crosby, Stills & Nash (no Young), Fleetwood Mac, the Jayhawks (whose "Blue" the band does a near note-perfect cover of on the album), and Tom Petty are clearly influential. The Petty comparison is particularly useful because over half the songs on The Thorns sound like they could have shown up on a recent Tom Petty album. "Long Sweet Summer Ground," "No Blue Sky," and especially "Runaway Feeling" have the straight-ahead, chunky rhythm of late-period Petty, as well as the chiming guitars and, above all, the drawled, laconic vocals (Droge at times sounds like he's channeling Petty's voice). That reliance on late-period Petty gets wearying, and it sounds at times like the threesome were more interested in replicating a classic rock band than producing any classic tracks. The most successful songs are those that either embrace their influences so fully that they become glorious reproductions or those that dispense with the idol worship altogether. In the first category is "Think It Over," a sure hit for CSN or America if they had recorded it in the late '60s or early '70s that glides along on lush harmonies and a resigned yet hopeful lead vocal, underpinned by a graceful back-porch rhythm and some Beach Boys-style bass harmonica. It also benefits from what many of the songs here lack, a memorable melody. In the second category are two Sweet songs that venture to interesting places outside the group's somewhat restricted sound. "Thorns" is a fun and bouncy garage rocker that has a bit of attitude and fun; the backing vocals are a real kick. "Now I Know" is a near a cappella song with the group vocals backed by restrained strings. The harmonies, as they are throughout the entire record, are beautiful, and the song is quite affecting and unique. The Thorns have a warm and inviting sound, with entrancing harmonies, but too often there's no substance behind the sound. In fact, despite the good songs and decent performances, it's difficult to escape that classic letdown-by-a-super(ish)group-again feeling.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

I remember this LP as a child. my mum had it. good stuff , although not as good as the debut , still very enjoyable... salty candy prob my fave here.

aka`

Initially kept in the can until Leon Russell started hitting his stride in the early '70s, Asylum Choir II is an artifact from 1967-1969. This was a fertile time for music. All the popular themes of the times show up here: protests of the Vietnam war in Down on the Base and Ballad for a Soldier; notes on the political scene and corporate profit-making in the face of the war in Sweet Home Chicago, Tryin' to Stay Alive, Lady in Waiting, and Straight Brother; and, of course, love in Hello Little Friend (which would later prove a hit for Joe Cocker when Leon was running that show). The tracks sound fairly dated in part because many songs were so topical.Although Leon Russell is credited as contributing bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals, and being the producer while Marc Benno is credited as a performer and producer, the music does not suffer from the "Winwood" syndrome, which occurs when one musician tries to do everything and the resulting product sounds flat and uninspired. Quite the opposite, the music, for the most part, is jaunty and full-bodied.For example, on Straight Brother, the sound is a rich pastiche of fiddle, wah-wah, percussion, bass, and some great vocals from, I would guess, Rita Coolidge (set up in the Intro to Rita). Which also begs the question: who else is making some uncredited guest appearances? I find it hard to believe the late Carl Radle only served as a photographer and never plugged in his bass here. Could one of the drummer Jims (Gordon or Kneltner) be sitting in, too? No doubt, there are quite a few uncredited performers lurking on this recording, perhaps uncredited because of contract issues.Russell, who was just gaining his musical footing about the time this album was orginially recorded, wrote some great lyrics and sings with great verve. His vocals, veering from ragged to howling, still can conjure chills on Straight Brother. And his keyboard playing is articulate and quirky, a harbinger of what was yet to come.

1.Sweet Home Chicago 2.Down On The Base 3.Hello Little Friend 4.Salty Candy 5.Tryin' To Stay 'Live 6.....intro TO Rita 7.Straight Brother 8.Learn How To Boogie 9.Ballad For A Soldier 10.When You Wish Upon A Fag 11.Lady In Waiting

Fancy finding a copy of this that is still playable !well , i did & here it is !enjoy

aka`

The first Beatle solo album -- as well as the first Apple album -- was a minor eruption of the pent-up energies of George Harrison, who was busy composing this offbeat score to the film Wonderwall as Magical Mystery Tour raced up the charts. With the subcontinental influence now firmly in the driver's seat, the score is mostly given over to the solemn, atmospheric drones of Indian music. Yet, as a whole, it's a fascinating if musically slender mishmash of sounds from East and West, everything casually juxtaposed or superimposed without a care in the world. Harrison himself does not appear as a player or singer; rather, he presides over the groups of Indian and British musicians, with half of the cues recorded in London, the other half in Bombay. The Indian tracks are professionally executed selections cut into film cue-sized bites, sometimes mixed up with a rock beat, never permitted to develop much. Touches of Harrison's whimsical side can be heard in the jaunty, honky tonk, tack piano-dominated "Drilling a Home" and happy-trails lope of "Cowboy Museum," as well as a title like "Wonderwall to Be Here." Occasionally, the overt footsteps of a Beatle can be heard: "Party Secombe" is a medium-tempo rock track that should remind the connoisseur of "Flying"; "Dream Scene" has Indian vocals moving back and forth between the loudspeakers over backwards electronic loops. As this and Harrison's second experimental release, Electronic Sound, undoubtedly proved, pigeonholing this Beatle was a dangerous thing.

the turtles cover the gamet in styles here. truly a talented band , this one includes the hits elenore , & you showed me ! enjoy

aka`

I remember first hearing this album in the late 70's, and from the very beginning I knew I was hooked.

12 songs, 12 different artists, all performed by The Turtles.

This band had such a diverse lineup of singers and creative forces that an album like this had to happen for them.

Too bad the mindset at the label was hostile, demanding results and hits, but meanwhile there was internal band/manager problems and with that pressure, this was the result, and as another Amazon reviewer said perfectly, it's the American version of both The Beatles' "White Album" & "Sgt. Peppers'" as they were both concept albums and very musically forward.

Here's the 12 tracks:1. The Battle of the Bands, by 'The U.S. Teens featuring Raoul' - very introductory, lets the listener know he or she is in for a big treat, kinda like the opening of Sgt. Pepper's, but not as noisy2. The Last Thing I Remember, the First Thing I Knew, by 'The Atomic Enchilada' - very trippy, very sixties, but I think this was the intention, to let everyone know they are part of that whole hip stuff, too3. Elenore by 'Howie, Mark, Johny, Jim & Al' - the anchor song of the whole album. A bit of history first: their label, White Whale, wanted another hit record like "Happy Together" a year back, so to get the label off their backs, Howard Kaylan wrote a novelty song he knew they wouldn't like - he wrote it as a joke expecting them to immediately reject it, and to add insult to injury , he deliberately reversed the chord progressions of "Happy Together" and then added dumb lyrics like "you're my pride and joy, et cetera" and "gee I think you're swell," even rhyming "groovy" with "movie". However, even the band was surprised that the label loved it so much it was released as a single and it went to #6. Strange...4. Too Much Heartsick Feeling by the 'Quad City Ramblers' - Some good old-fashioned Austin Texas country music here, complete with drippy corny lyrics, slide guitar and a spoken solo in the middle of the song - "honey, I want you, and I believe you want me toooooo"... perfect.5. Oh, Daddy! by "The L.A. Bust '66" - progressive rich White boy blues, with Chippy asking Daddy to bail him out of the joint on a "trumped-up" drug charge. The song is actually pretty good lyrically and is one of the better upbeat drug tunes out there, complete with an New Orleans jazz band celebrating his release at the 1:46 mark.6. Buzzsaw by 'The Fabulous Dawgs' - Heavy guitar fuzz and a Hammond organ scream throughout this slow burner - then the chorus - "Buzzzzzzz sawwwww..." - a quick song, complete with a DJ screaming that after a "pause for the cause" there'll be more.7. Surfer Dan by 'The Cross Fires' (actually the name of the band is a tip of their hats to their past, as Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman from The Turtles' first started in a surf band in the early 60's as "The Crossfires from The Planet Mars") - as The Beatles had their tribute song to the Beach Boys with "Back In The USSR", so The Turtles paid tribute to not only their past but to the whole surf rock genre with what has to be the ultimate surf rock song! It has cool cars, cool kids, cool lyrics, with the music and singing and the spirit all just right. One of the best tracks on the album.8. I'm Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts) by 'Chief Kamanawanalea and his Royal Macadamia Nuts' - his has got to be one of the strangest yet most put together jam songs ever constructed. The title alone is a pun, a dirty joke and a come on all at the same time! It's one of the strange songs that segue to another song, kinda like they way The Beatles "Revolution #9" did.9. You Showed Me by 'Nature's Children' - very sixties, with a very well created mellow vibe. You can hear violins and cellos and electronic organs all meshing and mixing together. This song was a follow-up hit for them after the monster of 'Elenore'. It's actually very sensual, lyrically too.10. Food by 'The Bigg Brothers' - It seems more like a grocery list of everything the band had eaten until a sudden break in the music, and then a recipe for pot brownies is introduced! It seems that the lists of bookend the pot brownie only let us know they had the munchies before and after, and the sound of Alka-Seltzer takes us home!11. Chicken Little Was Right by 'Fats Mallard and the Bluegrass Fireball' - very sunny bluegrass country music indeed, but with strange sinister undertones about the actual kidnapping of the sky. Very wild.12. Earth Anthem by 'All' - according to an Wikipedia entry, "The final song, "Earth Anthem", was notably recorded at 3:00 A.M. by candlelight, to capture the exact mood the Turtles wanted." I have to admit, it seems as if the band, instruments and all, were drifting off into space as they floated above us and everyone else's problems.

The album is short at under 45 minutes, but it's cohesive, fun, and thought-prevoking on some levels.

Even though many bands were trying to re-create the sound of the very first REAL original concept album, 1966's "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys (and a year later the formentioned Beatles albums), this album comes the closest to being that answer from another room, and if you've heard "Pet Sounds," too you know that I'm right!

(Now if you want to go way back, if you listen to the inspiration for "Pet Sounds" - The Beatles' "Rubber Soul" - then you'll get where I'm coming from as far as REAL musical progression, not just one-upmanship on the Beatles part in 1967 and '68.)

In the final analysis, if you gave me a choice for something that challenges me versus something that has been listened to over and over and over until the meaning behind it is lost, I say give me the Turtles and give me "The Battle of The Bands."[ John J. Martinez - amazon]

Pretty groovy LP by leon & bro , marc benno. is icicle star tree the coolest song u never heard or what ? ! :) 2nd LP on da way as well !enjoy !

aka`

long-lost Psychedelic album from 1968 by this duo featuring Leon Russell. Poised between his past as a top Wrecking Crew session man (Phil Spector, The Byrds, Sonny And Cher) and assistant to Liberty A&R head Snuff Garret, and his future as a '70s Rock superstar, Russell teamed up with his Texas Psych buddy Marc Benno to work with Gene Clark, Harpers Bizarre and Gary Lewis in their new studio. In between sessions, they created this unusual and breathtaking album. A great lost nugget by one of the major Rock superstars!

rare psych pop gem here on fontana lable. in the vein of early jefferson airplane !digg in kids.

aka`

California group Morning Glory released one album, 1968's Two Suns Worth, that was heavily influenced by Jefferson Airplane and the Mamas & the Papas, particularly in its female-male vocal blends. More psychedelic than the Mamas & the Papas, and poppier than the Airplane, it featured lead vocals by Gini Graybeal on a set of almost entirely original material, the majority written by bassist/rhythm guitarist/singer Bob Bohanna (though some other members contributed in that regard as well). Producing was Abe "Voco" Kesh, most known for his work with Blue Cheer.

This is a rare psych pop lp , produced by tommy james & king. some really great stuff here , much in the vein of early tommy james. i know this has been posted recently as well , but here it is again , lol.

aka`

“Their prime claim to fame seems to rest with the fact their 1971 debut album was produced by Tommy James and Bob King (the pair also handled musical arrangements and contributed one song to the set). "Neon" is actually a surprisingly good heavy rock album, with Crabtree penning the majority of the material, the set offered up a nice blend of guitar rock (”Mountain Baby“ - ignore the ponderous drum solo) and more commercial moves (check out the Tommy James and the Shondells-styled harmonies on ”Hold Back My Tears”). Personal favorites were the band's cover of James' “Dark Is the Night“ (always liked that 1960s sitar sound), the rocker ”Can't Stop Myself (From Loving You)” and the mildly psychedelic “Magic Man”. Listening to the album a couple more times, the set sounds like something The Shondells might have done had the ever elected to go for a tighter, AOR audience - that's meant as a compliment.

OK kids , here is some tasty vintage psych ! sure doesnt get much more "far out" than this one my good friends. a bit left of center for my taste , but super cool none the less ! This is one is hard to come by as well these days .... grab it while its hot !aka`

In the mid- to late '60s you couldn't get much further underground in the ever-expanding world of rock music than the Fugs -- unless of course you were one of the Holy Modal Rounders, i.e. folk musicians Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber. The Rounders started out in the same early-'60s New York folk and jug scene as Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, and had crossed paths numerous times. Stampfel and Weber will be eternally remembered for "Bird Song," which was prominently featured in both the movie Easy Rider and its soundtrack. It's also the opening cut on The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders, an album way beyond anything else considered to be "far out" at the time. Released in 1968 on Elektra, the 13 tracks are highlighted by such otherworldly compositions as "Werewolf," "My Mind Capsized," "The STP Song," and "Half a Mind." Unabashed in its own eccentricity, this set is similar to their 1967 ESP release Indian War Whoop in that it combines acoustic traditional American folk, blues, and hillbilly music regurgitated by crazed folkie acidheads experimenting with electric instruments. Following the disc's release, Stampfel said this album reflected producer Frazier Mohawk's musical taste more so than the band's. The Modal duo are assisted, in this case, by playwright Sam Shepard on tambourine, Richard Tyler on piano, and John Wesley Annis on bass and drums. As good luck would have it, the Water label unleashed this CD on the public for the first time in 2002 with two previously unreleased bonus tracks. Absolutely essential.

Andy Kim's 1968 debut How'd We Ever Get This Way showcased his knack for commercial pop music, pitched partway between bubblegum and Brill Building tradition, often recalling both the effervescence and moodiness that marked Neil Diamond's '60s work for Bang. Brill Building mainstays Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich produced those recordings, and after their partnership soured, Barry started writing with Kim on a regular basis, eventually signing him to his fledgling label, Steed. How'd We Ever Get This Way was Kim's debut, consisting entirely with material he co-wrote with Barry, and it's an excellent example of hooky mainstream pop from the late '60s: bright, melodic and well-constructed, from its composition to its productions. At times, it may sound strikingly like Diamond -- "Just Like Your Shadow" recalls "Solitary Man," right down to the mournful horns that come in on the second verse; "Love That Little Woman" bounces along on handclaps and maracas just like "You Got to Me" -- it does so without ever sounding imitative; it sounds like the work of a singer/songwriter with similar gifts, sharpened and honed by Diamond's producer. That producer also happened to be a producer for the Monkees, and there are echoes of that group as well; it's easy to imagine "Circus" as sung by Micky Dolenz and the skipping "Shoot 'Em Up Baby" is just gimmicky enough to work well on TV. At times, the music edges toward the middle-of-the-road (the swelling strings on "Pretty Thing") and sometimes it bears traces of psych-pop, but it never goes too far in either direction. With the exception of the dreamy, dramatic closer "Resurrection," which is notable and excellent in its own way, this is late-'60s pop at its lightest and brightest, and cut for cut it's one of the strongest records of its kind, thanks to songs as irrepressibly catchy as "How'd We Ever Get This Way" and sweetly understated as the McCartney-esque "Ordinary Kind of Girl."

phooey , i dont care what the critics say about this one , i love it !very rare indeed this one : i couldnt believe when i found it , think it was 5 bucks too ! anyway , fave tracks here mother & jack & down came the sun !love the drum machines eh ?lol

Although not many people remember it today, there was a moment when the Bee Gees' lineup literally exploded into pieces — in the wake of the 1969 double-LP Odessa, the sibling music trio split, first into two parts, with Barry Gibb and Maurice Gibb initially retaining the Bee Gees name, and later into three parts, as even they stopped working together. You can judge the depth of the antipathy felt between Robin Gibb and his brothers from the lyrics in "Most of My Life," the last song on the album at hand, which are steeped in bitterness. Ironically, amid a ton of solo activity by all three brothers that resulted from these breakups, Robin's Reign by Robin Gibb was the only full-length solo effort by any of them to see the light of day commercially, and it has never been reissued on CD, despite the fact that it contained a number two U.K. hit in "Saved By the Bell." What is here is almost as much a "lost" Bee Gees creation as the two-man lineup's Cucumber Castle album, notwithstanding Barry Gibb's protestations at the time that the songs weren't up to a standard that would have allowed him to sing on them — the main problem is the "almost." Cucumber Castle was strong enough as a body of music that it only needed the addition of Robin Gibb's voice to have qualified as a classic '60s Bee Gees effort, and even as it stands there's enough good music on it to justify its presence in the CD catalog. Much of Robin's Reign, however, needed just a little bit more work on the composition side — perhaps the input of another of the Gibb siblings — to reach that same standard. On the first side, "August October" and "Gone Gone Gone" could have passed muster on any of the group's late-'60s albums, and "The Worst Girl in This Town" on a sonic level is as great an achievement as a Bee Gees cut in everything but name (complete with Maurice Gibb's presence — he's also elsewhere on the album, as is drummer Colin Petersen). But too many of the songs (and "Down Came the Sun" is a perfect example), although very pretty, don't quite go anywhere — they lack a second idea, or a middle eight, or something, to take them to the ending without being predictable. The record also ended up being a bit disjointed and confusing, as Robin Gibb and his manager announced it with several songs that never made it onto the record, while others that weren't announced were present. Among the most unusual of the latter was "Mother and Jack," a calypso-flavored piece that was sort of Robin Gibb's answer to the two-man Bee Gees' "I.O.I.O.," and ended up on the B-side of "Saved By the Bell." The presence of two different conductors and arrangers, Zack Lawrence and Kenny Clayton (along with Gibb's arrangement of one song), didn't help unify the result. And for the record, Lawrence came closest to emulating the most densely produced Bee Gees sound. "Mother and Jack" offered possibilities for a new, leaner, different sound, but as it was, the album couldn't get far enough away from the Bee Gees' own roots to count as more than a footnote — albeit an often beautiful and reasonably entertaining one — to their history. He would do better, and generate more lasting music, with his subsequent solo albums in the decades to come.

1. August October 2. Gone Gone Gone 3. The Worst Girl in This Town 4. Give Me a Smile 5. Down Came the Sun 6. Mother and Jack 7. Saved By the Bell 8. Weekend 9. Farmer Ferdinand Hudson 10 Lord Bless All 11.Most of My Life

well , here ya go kids ; yes its neil diamond ! love the title track here & dig in [ how did they do that organ stutter effect ? lol ]all in all this is great stuff !

Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show is the name of Neil Diamond's fourth studio album. Four months after the title cut became a #22 hit, Diamond recorded and released a new single, "Sweet Caroline", which reached #4. Because of its popularity, this song was added to the end of later pressings of the album, which was also given a new sleeve.

Lyrical Interpretation

The song tells the story of Brother Love, an evangelist who travels from town to town preaching. In the middle of the song, Diamond gives a sermon in typical evangelical style.

Controversy

Some evangelical groups in the American South encouraged the boycotting of this song and of Diamond as they thought that this song denigrated and insulted evangelists and the evangelical movement. When Diamond explained in an interview that it was, contrary to their understanding of it, a celebration of Gospel music and the evangelical style of preaching and worship, the controversy subsided.

Single mix

The original 45 mix of the title cut differs from the album version. One difference is that it is in mono. Also, during the second verse, Neil's vocal has been overdubbed onto the lead vocal, creating a harmony. Immediately after "take my hand in yours", bells have been added to the piano part. Extra reverb is used throughout the song. Finally, the fade is longer, includes a rattling tambourine and, most prominently, the horn section is mixed much louder than on the album version. All of Diamond's CD compilations have used the album mix.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Another great pop gem in the vein of tin tin & the bee gees. in fact a couple of bee gee tracks are covered here as well as the famous "storybook children" , i think this was thier hit here eh ?of course graham bonnet , singer here went on to play with ynqwie malmsteen & alkatrazz !

The Marbles are well known to serious Bee Gees fans for covering a number of Bee Gees compositions, as well as being produced by Barry Gibb. Those expecting a sort of Bee Gees Jr., however, will be sorely disappointed by the Marbles' sole, eponymous album, even if five of the 12 tracks were penned by the Brothers Gibb. It's a far more blustery, orchestral brand of pop/rock than the relatively tender one mastered by the Bee Gees in the late '60s, even when they're doing some songs the Bee Gees themselves recorded back then (like "I Can't See Nobody" and "To Love Somebody"). Most blustery of all is Graham Bonnet's overbearing voice, which sounds a bit like a cross between Tom Jones and the Righteous Brothers, painting mental pictures of some tuxedoed guy sweating it out on the northern England cabaret circuit, his bulging neck muscles turning red with the effort. The pop and soul covers -- including "A House Is Not a Home," "Storybook Children," and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" -- are rendered schmaltzy by both the vocals and arrangements. The Marbles' few attempts at their own songwriting (numbering only three) are better though not great, convincingly emulating the bittersweet aspects of the early Bee Gees, though sometimes with even more ornate orchestration than the Bee Gees employed. It's of most interest to Bee Gees fans, though, for the inclusion of three Brothers Gibb compositions the Bee Gees didn't record at the time on their own records: "Only One Woman" (a number five British hit), "The Walls Fell Down," and "By the Light of a Burning Candle." They're characteristic of the Bee Gees' late-'60s style, but given such a bombastic treatment that you can't help wishing that the Bee Gees had done them instead. The 2003 CD reissue on Repertoire adds six bonus tracks, including mono single versions of four tracks from the LP and two 1969 B-sides.

The Marbles - Cotillion -`70 - MP3 @ 320 - high rez cover scans

1. I Can't See Nobody 2. House Is Not a Home 3. Storybook Children 4. Daytime 5. By the Light of a Burning Candle 6. Stay With Me Baby 7. Only One Woman 8. To Love Somebody 9. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do 10. Elizabeth Johnson 11. Little Laughing Girl 12. Walls Fell Down

The second & best from these boyz ! This is one of my faves of the new post coming your way. love the poppiness here & the great hooks. super production as well : turn this one up ! fave trax , sit w/ guru & song from psych out !

For their second album, Wake Up...It's Tomorrow, Strawberry Alarm Clock built upon the solid writing and musicianship that inevitably carried over from the Incense and Peppermints project. In retrospect, it is baffling as to why they were relegated to the "one-hit wonders" file, as their most social and musically relevant statements had yet to be made. Stylistically, the material on this album vacillates between the lighter and pop-oriented sides such as "Tomorrow" and the stunningly agile vocal arrangements on "Pretty Song from Psych-Out" to the exceedingly ominous "Curse of the Witches" and "Nightmare of Percussion." Howard Davis -- whose spoken word narration can be heard during the latter track -- arranged some stunning vocal charts for "Soft Skies, No Lies," "Go Back, You're Going the Wrong Way," and the "future" section of the "Black Butter" trilogy. They are reminiscent of the tight harmonies incorporated by Harpers Bizarre or the retro New Vaudeville Band. Conversely, "Sitting on a Star," "They Saw the Fat One Coming" (which refers to the infiltration of Roy Freeman, a lyricist hired by the band's management), and the first two movements in the "Black Butter" trilogy reflect the group's mod garage rock roots. Here the band projects a more primal sound akin to People or the Chocolate Watchband. [ amg ]